How long have you been involved in your breed? I have been involved with the American Hairless Terrier for 8 years. List three words that you feel best describe your breed. The three words that best describe our breed are: American Hairless Terrier OK…so that’s an odd answer, but the AHT is an American born breed. The defining characteristic for most is their hairlessness, although we must not forget about our coated variety members either. And finally they are by all means a terrier, meaning they are feisty, smart, active, etc. In your opinion what physical characteristic defines your breed the most? The physical characteristic that defines our breed the most is certainly its hairlessness. The dogs have a smooth, soft skin that is naturally hairless and does not require shaving or an excessive amount of care. In your opinion which behavioral characteristic defines your breed the most? In my opinion, the behavioral characteristic that defines the AHT is its intelligence. This is both a positive trait and a negative one. Being smart, the AHT learns quickly and is easily trained. Sounds great, right? Well, quick thinking dogs need quick thinking owners who are always one step ahead. It is very important for AHT owners to establish themselves as the “pack leader” from the get-go. Even letting the dog “get away with something” once, can prove very difficult to undo in the future. They certainly keep you on your toes! What is the largest false impression your breed gives? I think it’s difficult to select one largest false impression about the AHT as two things came to mind immediately. 1) Hairlessness = fragile and 2) Hairlessness = “hypoallergenic” These dogs are as healthy and sturdy as any small breed. Sure their skin can get scratched, but so can ours and we do not let that limit our participation in various activities. Some worry about sunburn and that is a real concern. However, if you think about what you would do for yourself (sunscreen, protective clothing), it really is not all that difficult. Regarding the hypo-allergenic theory: The only hypo-allergenic breed is a ceramic one! All dogs, even the AHT, produce the proteins in their dander, urine and saliva, responsible for allergic reactions. There is some evidence of breed specific allergens, variation in dander turnover rates, variation in allergic reaction generated from a puppy vs. and adult, and a decrease in allergic reaction to non-shedding dogs (fewer allergens released into the air) so that some people can tolerate one breed but not another. The amount of dander required to produce an allergic reaction varies from person to person. So, if the level is below that threshold, there may not be an obvious reaction (does not mean that there isn’t an immune response that the individual doesn’t detect). Many people who suffer from allergies have discovered that the American Hairless Terrier is a wonderful companion that does not trigger their typical allergy symptoms. While the AHT may not be the answer for everyone, the smooth unique skin (slower dander production), lack of hair (no shedding and releasing dander into the air) and ease of removing dander with regular bathing, make it a successful choice for many families that have been unable to have a pet. I have been involved in setting up allergy trials around the country. The data suggests that only about 25% of allergy sufferers have NO reaction to the breed. Another 25% has the SAME reaction to this breed as any other breed. The remaining 50% have SOME reaction, but it is less severe than their typical reaction. Some of these people CAN live with the breed; while others cannot as the reaction is still too significant. What should breeders be most concerned about today? In my opinion, breeders should be most concerned about the fact that the breed is still young and inconsistent. We all need to put our “work-clothes” on and continue to outcross to increase our genetic diversity and make continued forward progress in the breed. The AHT is not where it needs to be yet and that consistency is not realistic at this stage of the game: quality sound dogs produce structurally flawed offspring; those with perfect bites and knees yield imperfect pups. This is to be expected and we must not become discouraged. Instead, we should continue to study the standard and do our utmost to select the best possible AHTs and/or Rat Terriers to keep help us move towards our goal. Remember, outcrossing will come to an end. We need to take advantage of our opportunity now. Is your breed standard sufficient? If you do not feel it is sufficient, briefly list changes you would like to see made. Yes, I feel the breed standard is sufficient at this time. However, I would like to see the “absence of white” eliminated from the standard in reference to the coated dogs color. To date, this has not been an issue in the breed, but given that you will see hairless dogs without white (the white areas become smaller as the color spreads as the dog ages and with increased sun exposure), the coated dogs should not be DQ’d for absence of white. What counsel would you like to give to newcomers? The counsel that I’d like to share with newcomers is two-fold: 1) The AHT is a terrific, young breed that has made incredible improvements in the last 3-4 years and we welcome newbies to help us continue with our momentum. There are lots of knowledgeable individuals involved in the breed…ask questions…seek out a mentor. We are all willing to help. 2) Having said that, please come to the AHT with the plan to work towards breed progress and avoid the “wow this is a rare breed and I can make lots of money” misconception. Unfortunately, many newcomers are drawn to the AHT due to its uniqueness, rarity and the quest for an easy dollar. As we all know, when dog breeding is done correctly, you lose money. Obtaining a show/breed quality pup, caring for the pup, training the pup, earning the Grand Champion conformation title, participating in performance events to demonstrate that your AHT is more than just a pretty face, health clearances, finding the best stud/bitch to complement your AHT, vet bills, etc. all add up to thousands of dollars. Then we have the time and effort involved in finding the best, forever, homes for the babies. It is quite a commitment and one not to be taken lightly. Many newcomers have come and gone when they found that placing the pups was not as easy as they had anticipated. Remember, the pups you create are your responsibility as long as the pups are alive! The single most charming attribute of our breed is their eternal youth. The AHT retains it’s “puppy-hood” throughout its life. They continue to play and act silly ….very few seem to get/act “old.” Do you prefer your breed judged moving or standing? I prefer our breed be judged moving as one should “examine the breed on table” but truly “judge” the breed on the ground. A dog that moves correctly is put together correctly. P.S. Hackney gait, although widely seen, is NOT proper for the AHT. What is the most common judging mistake in your breed? There are two very common judging mistakes in the AHT ring. The first goes back to my favorite word…hairlessness, or in this case, the lack thereof. Specifically, judges have a tendency to favor the hairless variety over the coated variety. Yes, we are aware that the word ‘hairless’ is in our breed name, but that does not mean that our coated AHTs should be penalized. Coat is not a fault. We want the judges to judge the dog they see before them and select the best dog on that day, regardless of coat or hairlessness. If the best dog in the ring is coated, please go with that dog. Unfortunately, we see the coated dogs being overlooked time and time again and have had judges specifically tell us they would “never put up a coated dog.” We have been working diligently to change this perception and help the judges understand that IF they truly find the coated and the hairless entry equal in quality, and cannot make a choice, then, and only then, should they choose hairless over coated. Another equally common mistake concerns what I’ll term “fault judging.” Many judges want to “throw away” a dog that exemplifies breed type and temperament, yet may have an imperfect bite or other cosmetic minor fault. Our breed is young, but improving steadily and we need these outstanding dogs in our gene pool. We are not suggesting that all dogs with bad bites should win, but if you have a dog with a roachy top-line, who is straight in the stifle, out at the elbows, etc BUT has a perfect bite, we hope the judge sees the forest for the trees and goes with the dog that most closely approximates our standard, even if a tooth is out of alignment. What quality lends itself particularly well to the show ring? OK…here I go again…the quality that lends the AHT to the show ring is its…say it with me….hairlessness!! Why?? We still have nails, teeth and ears to groom, but this is the easiest dog to wash and dry….grab some anti-bacterial soap, scrub up, rinse off, and towel dry (for 5 seconds). You are ready to go!! I could just have easily said “terrier-tude” as these Terriers love to be the center of attention and enjoy strutting their stuff in the ring! Who would you like to see judge your National Specialty? If there wasn’t an issue of conflict of interest, I would choose Bonnie Turner to judge our National Specialty. Bonnie and Michael Turner have been instrumental in improving breed type, soundness, and the overall health of the breed. Bonnie has a wonderful eye for a dog and has always moved forward in her quest to improve, promote, and preserve the breed. Who better to judge the breed than Ms. Turner?
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